First Battle of Yodogawa

The First Battle of Yodogawa took place in the summer of 1352 when a Southern Court army under Emperor Go-Murakami and his general Ochi Genta, retreating from a failed campaign in Settsu Province, was destroyed by an Ashikaga army on the southern bank of the Yodo River in Arima Province. The battle saw Emperor Go-Murakami fall, and the Ashikaga entered open war with the Southern Court.

Background
The Southern Court was formed in 1338 in Yoshino Province in southern central Honshu when Ashikaga Takauji proclaimed the Ashikaga Shogunate in Kyoto, and Emperor Go-Daigo and his line ruled from Yoshino while resisting the pro-Ashikaga Northern Court. The land therefore entered the Nanboku-cho period, which translates to "the Northern and Southern Courts period". Shogun Ashikaga Takauji fought against the forces of the Southern Court and the daimyos loyal to it, and in 1352 Emperor Go-Murakami led an army into Settsu Province to campaign against the Akamatsu clan. Unfortunately for him, the campaign went poorly and his army was mauled on the north bank of the Yodo River. The Southern Court forces retreated to the southern bank of the Yodo River after the defeat, but the Southern Court made the foolish choice of declaring war on the Ashikaga. This led to general Ashikaga Yoshiakira leading his army of 819 troops out of Fukuhara in Settsu to engage the 228-strong Southern Court army of Emperor Go-Murakami and his general Ochi Genta, and the battle occurred on the southern bank of Yodogawa.

Battle
The Southern Court army and Ashikaga army deployed on opposite sides of a small section of woods, and the Ashikaga army quickly moved toward sthe woods to deploy against the Southern Court forces. Seconds after the Ashikaga deployed, charging Southern Court troops met them in battle and opened a bloody round of melee combat. The warriors on both sides engaged in hacking and slashing with their weapons, and Ashikaga Yoshiakira rallied his men against the Emperor's men. The battered Southern Court troops were overwhelmed by the superior forces of the Ashikaga army in the battle, and both of the Southern Court generals were cut down in the battle. The Southern Court army was annihilated in the battle, and the Ashikaga won a great and spontaneous victory.